Legacy: Chapter 12
WARNING: Language
/>Hide had been gone for almost a month now, and I was sure I'd go insane by next week. I missed him so much, it was painful. Like my heart was breaking. The only thing that kept me going was his daily phone calls: one at noon (1 AM for him) and one at midnight (1 PM for him). I scheduled my day around his phone calls. I would be depressed, and then the sound of his voice would make me feel that all was right with the world. At least until he hung up.
He always ended our conversations by saying “aishiteru” again, but still refused to tell me what it meant. And I had no way of looking it up, because I didn't know how to spell it. It was getting kind of annoying.
Jenn had noticed my moping and had gotten tired of it, so she insisted we go out to dinner together. We ended up at a little Italian place, and the dinner was a little awkward and silent. She had forbidden me from talking about Hide, but what else was there to talk about, really?
I was about halfway through my plate of shrimp scampi when I heard my name being called. I looked up and saw Paul and Steve walking towards our table.
“Hey guys!” I said, waving them over with a smile on my face. I was happy to see Paul. Steve, however, was a different story.
“Thousands of restaurants in L.A., and we manage to go to the one that you're in,” Paul said. “It must be fate, love.”
I laughed. “Jenn, this is Paul and Steve. They're members of Hide's band.”
“Nice to meet you,” Jenn said, shaking their hands. I saw Steve look her over appreciatively. Good, maybe he'd leave me alone for once.
“Sit down, guys,” I said, scooting over. Unfortunately, Steve quickly slid in next to me before Paul had the chance to. Damn.
Paul quickly waved over the waitress and ordered some spaghetti and a bottle of their “finest, cheapest wine” for him and Steve to share.
“So, how ya been?” Paul asked as he poured some wine into his glass.
“I've been okay, I guess,” I said, sighing a little. “Feeling a little down, you know.”
“Yeah, I know. I miss him too,” Paul said. “Especially since we've hit a roadblock on a song we're writing and he usually fixes those. Kind of hard to do so on the phone. You should tell him to get his ass back over here.”
“I do. Everyday.” I looked down and stabbed a piece of shrimp with my fork.
Jenn cleared her throat. “So, you're from England, right?” she asked, addressing Paul. “When did you move here?”
Paul launched into his life story, while I only half-listened and just swirled my noodles around my fork over and over, no longer hungry. Seeing the guys just made me miss Hide more. And Steve wasn't helping things.
Steve moved closer to me and said in a low voice, “Are you really okay?”
“Yes Steve, I'm fine. I'll live,” I said shortly, wishing he'd get away. I glanced over at Paul and Jenn but apparently the conversation they were having was extremely interesting and they didn't notice anything.
Steve leaned closer and I could smell the alcohol on his breath. Apparently he had drunk a lot more than the wine they had just started.
“Because you know, if you're feeling down, I'm here to make you feel better.” Steve
leaned closer and I had no idea what he was going to do, but I didn't want to find out.
“Steve, back off,” I hissed. “Or I'll tell Hide, and he'll beat the shit out of you for what you're doing.”
“That skinny little Jap?” Steve snorted. “I'd snap him in half before he knew what hit him.” And he grabbed my arm.
“Get the FUCK away from me!” I shouted, wrenching my arm out of his grasp and standing up. The restaurant went silent.
“Steve, what the hell?” Paul said, also standing.
“Why do you like him!? That makeup-wearing, pink-haired yellow faggot! He's not a man at all! I'm twice the man he'll ever be! Why the fuck does he get you?”
Steve was screaming, standing up and knocking over his wine glass in the process. Everyone was staring at us, Jenn's face was turning red and she looked down at her lap. I just stared at Steve in disbelief. I knew he was into me, but this was too much.
“Jealous much?” I retorted, folding my arms to stop myself from slapping Steve across the face.
Steve lunged towards me, but Paul grabbed onto his shirt collar and pulled him back.
“Steve, shut your goddamn mouth!” Paul shouted.
A waiter came running across the restaurant. “Excuse me, sir, but I'm going to have to ask you two to leave. You're being extremely rude and disruptive to everyone.”
“We're leaving. I apologize for this idiot,” Paul said, scowling at Steve. He dug into his pocket and put some money on the table to pay for his food and wine.
“Come on, you piece of shit.” Paul dragged Steve across the restaurant.
“You'll be sorry! When he can't satisfy you, you'll come crying to me!” Steve shouted as he was led away.
“Don't worry, sweetheart, he satisfies me plenty,” I said, giving Steve a sarcastic little wave. I sat back down as they disappeared and looked at Jenn, who was hiding her face in her hands.
“Well, that was interesting,” I said with a false cheerfulness.
“Jesus...can we leave now?” Jenn asked.
“Totally,” I answered, and waved the waitress over for our check.
I got home around 10:30, which meant I had some time to kill before Hide called. He was always on time. However, the phone rang just a few minutes later.
“Hey, it's Paul,” I heard when I picked up.
“Oh, hi,” I said, disappointed that it wasn't Hide. “Um, not that I really mind, but how did you get my number?”
“Hide gave it to me, so I could check up on you. I just haven't yet.”
“Oh.”
“Hey, I'm really sorry about what happened with Steve. He's been such an asshole lately. That's not the first time he's talked shit about Hide, he really hates him for some reason.”
“Yeah, because of me. I think he's been into me since I showed up.”
“Yeah, we've noticed. Hide has too, which would explain why he's been impatient with him. I'm so close to asking to get rid of him though, he's just fucking up everything. And it's not like we really need him, since Hide has the best guitar skills out of all of us anyway.”
“Yeah, I've wondered what the point of having three guitars was, anyway.”
“So, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry, I've had scarier drunken fights in my life,” I said, laughing slightly.
“Okay. Well take care, love.”
“I will, mate,” I said, making fun of his British slang.
“That's Australian, you stupid Yank,” Paul said, purposefully making his accent thicker and laughing.
“Same difference. Talk to you later.”
“Yep. Bye.” Paul hung up.
I hang up and decide to wash the floor and do the dishes while I wait for Hide to call. I finish with five minutes to spare and spend those last minutes staring at the clock. I know, I've gotten a little obsessive.
The phone rings promptly at midnight, and I pick it up before the first ring ends.
“Haha, you're so cute,” Hide laughs, and immediately all my tension is gone. “What, were you waiting by the phone?” His voice sounds a little faint, further driving home the realization of the distance between us.
“Yes,” I said, giggling.
“Crazy. How are you? Anything interesting happen since last time we talked?”
I hesitate, then decide not to tell him about my fight with Steve. I didn't want to upset him when he was so busy. “Nope, not really. Just missing you.”
“Yeah, I miss you too. A lot. You're on my mind almost all the time, actually. It's really distracting.” I could hear the mischievous grin on his face.
“I mean, I really, really miss you. I don't think I'll survive much longer without you here.” I know it sounded really stupid, but it's really how I felt.
“Really?” Hide's tone turned more serious. “Well, since you're that upset about it, and I'm bothered by it as well, there's only one thing to do.”
“What?” I asked.
“You're coming here. And I won't take no for an answer. You've got two days to finish up any assignments and pack. I'm buying the plane ticket, I'll take care of everything you need over here. You need to be here, that's the only solution.”
“Hide, I...” I started to say.
“No excuses. You need to see me. I can't leave yet. And I need you here.”
My heart swelled with those words. “You do?”
“Of course. You got a passport?”
“Yes.” I had gotten one last year when an assignment had sent me to Mexico.
“Good. Well, I have to go. Have a good night, and I'll see you in three days. Aishiteru.”
The fact that I'd get to see him so soon made it hard to breathe. I even forgot to complain about that mystery word. “Goodbye, Hide.”
“Bye, Ama-chan.” Hide hung up.
“I love you,” I said to the dial tone. I didn't have the guts to say it to him yet.
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NaNoWriMo Word Count: 4245/50000
/>Hide had been gone for almost a month now, and I was sure I'd go insane by next week. I missed him so much, it was painful. Like my heart was breaking. The only thing that kept me going was his daily phone calls: one at noon (1 AM for him) and one at midnight (1 PM for him). I scheduled my day around his phone calls. I would be depressed, and then the sound of his voice would make me feel that all was right with the world. At least until he hung up.
He always ended our conversations by saying “aishiteru” again, but still refused to tell me what it meant. And I had no way of looking it up, because I didn't know how to spell it. It was getting kind of annoying.
Jenn had noticed my moping and had gotten tired of it, so she insisted we go out to dinner together. We ended up at a little Italian place, and the dinner was a little awkward and silent. She had forbidden me from talking about Hide, but what else was there to talk about, really?
I was about halfway through my plate of shrimp scampi when I heard my name being called. I looked up and saw Paul and Steve walking towards our table.
“Hey guys!” I said, waving them over with a smile on my face. I was happy to see Paul. Steve, however, was a different story.
“Thousands of restaurants in L.A., and we manage to go to the one that you're in,” Paul said. “It must be fate, love.”
I laughed. “Jenn, this is Paul and Steve. They're members of Hide's band.”
“Nice to meet you,” Jenn said, shaking their hands. I saw Steve look her over appreciatively. Good, maybe he'd leave me alone for once.
“Sit down, guys,” I said, scooting over. Unfortunately, Steve quickly slid in next to me before Paul had the chance to. Damn.
Paul quickly waved over the waitress and ordered some spaghetti and a bottle of their “finest, cheapest wine” for him and Steve to share.
“So, how ya been?” Paul asked as he poured some wine into his glass.
“I've been okay, I guess,” I said, sighing a little. “Feeling a little down, you know.”
“Yeah, I know. I miss him too,” Paul said. “Especially since we've hit a roadblock on a song we're writing and he usually fixes those. Kind of hard to do so on the phone. You should tell him to get his ass back over here.”
“I do. Everyday.” I looked down and stabbed a piece of shrimp with my fork.
Jenn cleared her throat. “So, you're from England, right?” she asked, addressing Paul. “When did you move here?”
Paul launched into his life story, while I only half-listened and just swirled my noodles around my fork over and over, no longer hungry. Seeing the guys just made me miss Hide more. And Steve wasn't helping things.
Steve moved closer to me and said in a low voice, “Are you really okay?”
“Yes Steve, I'm fine. I'll live,” I said shortly, wishing he'd get away. I glanced over at Paul and Jenn but apparently the conversation they were having was extremely interesting and they didn't notice anything.
Steve leaned closer and I could smell the alcohol on his breath. Apparently he had drunk a lot more than the wine they had just started.
“Because you know, if you're feeling down, I'm here to make you feel better.” Steve
leaned closer and I had no idea what he was going to do, but I didn't want to find out.
“Steve, back off,” I hissed. “Or I'll tell Hide, and he'll beat the shit out of you for what you're doing.”
“That skinny little Jap?” Steve snorted. “I'd snap him in half before he knew what hit him.” And he grabbed my arm.
“Get the FUCK away from me!” I shouted, wrenching my arm out of his grasp and standing up. The restaurant went silent.
“Steve, what the hell?” Paul said, also standing.
“Why do you like him!? That makeup-wearing, pink-haired yellow faggot! He's not a man at all! I'm twice the man he'll ever be! Why the fuck does he get you?”
Steve was screaming, standing up and knocking over his wine glass in the process. Everyone was staring at us, Jenn's face was turning red and she looked down at her lap. I just stared at Steve in disbelief. I knew he was into me, but this was too much.
“Jealous much?” I retorted, folding my arms to stop myself from slapping Steve across the face.
Steve lunged towards me, but Paul grabbed onto his shirt collar and pulled him back.
“Steve, shut your goddamn mouth!” Paul shouted.
A waiter came running across the restaurant. “Excuse me, sir, but I'm going to have to ask you two to leave. You're being extremely rude and disruptive to everyone.”
“We're leaving. I apologize for this idiot,” Paul said, scowling at Steve. He dug into his pocket and put some money on the table to pay for his food and wine.
“Come on, you piece of shit.” Paul dragged Steve across the restaurant.
“You'll be sorry! When he can't satisfy you, you'll come crying to me!” Steve shouted as he was led away.
“Don't worry, sweetheart, he satisfies me plenty,” I said, giving Steve a sarcastic little wave. I sat back down as they disappeared and looked at Jenn, who was hiding her face in her hands.
“Well, that was interesting,” I said with a false cheerfulness.
“Jesus...can we leave now?” Jenn asked.
“Totally,” I answered, and waved the waitress over for our check.
I got home around 10:30, which meant I had some time to kill before Hide called. He was always on time. However, the phone rang just a few minutes later.
“Hey, it's Paul,” I heard when I picked up.
“Oh, hi,” I said, disappointed that it wasn't Hide. “Um, not that I really mind, but how did you get my number?”
“Hide gave it to me, so I could check up on you. I just haven't yet.”
“Oh.”
“Hey, I'm really sorry about what happened with Steve. He's been such an asshole lately. That's not the first time he's talked shit about Hide, he really hates him for some reason.”
“Yeah, because of me. I think he's been into me since I showed up.”
“Yeah, we've noticed. Hide has too, which would explain why he's been impatient with him. I'm so close to asking to get rid of him though, he's just fucking up everything. And it's not like we really need him, since Hide has the best guitar skills out of all of us anyway.”
“Yeah, I've wondered what the point of having three guitars was, anyway.”
“So, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry, I've had scarier drunken fights in my life,” I said, laughing slightly.
“Okay. Well take care, love.”
“I will, mate,” I said, making fun of his British slang.
“That's Australian, you stupid Yank,” Paul said, purposefully making his accent thicker and laughing.
“Same difference. Talk to you later.”
“Yep. Bye.” Paul hung up.
I hang up and decide to wash the floor and do the dishes while I wait for Hide to call. I finish with five minutes to spare and spend those last minutes staring at the clock. I know, I've gotten a little obsessive.
The phone rings promptly at midnight, and I pick it up before the first ring ends.
“Haha, you're so cute,” Hide laughs, and immediately all my tension is gone. “What, were you waiting by the phone?” His voice sounds a little faint, further driving home the realization of the distance between us.
“Yes,” I said, giggling.
“Crazy. How are you? Anything interesting happen since last time we talked?”
I hesitate, then decide not to tell him about my fight with Steve. I didn't want to upset him when he was so busy. “Nope, not really. Just missing you.”
“Yeah, I miss you too. A lot. You're on my mind almost all the time, actually. It's really distracting.” I could hear the mischievous grin on his face.
“I mean, I really, really miss you. I don't think I'll survive much longer without you here.” I know it sounded really stupid, but it's really how I felt.
“Really?” Hide's tone turned more serious. “Well, since you're that upset about it, and I'm bothered by it as well, there's only one thing to do.”
“What?” I asked.
“You're coming here. And I won't take no for an answer. You've got two days to finish up any assignments and pack. I'm buying the plane ticket, I'll take care of everything you need over here. You need to be here, that's the only solution.”
“Hide, I...” I started to say.
“No excuses. You need to see me. I can't leave yet. And I need you here.”
My heart swelled with those words. “You do?”
“Of course. You got a passport?”
“Yes.” I had gotten one last year when an assignment had sent me to Mexico.
“Good. Well, I have to go. Have a good night, and I'll see you in three days. Aishiteru.”
The fact that I'd get to see him so soon made it hard to breathe. I even forgot to complain about that mystery word. “Goodbye, Hide.”
“Bye, Ama-chan.” Hide hung up.
“I love you,” I said to the dial tone. I didn't have the guts to say it to him yet.
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NaNoWriMo Word Count: 4245/50000